RBC05 - Bloodline (4 page)

“I know you are. This isn’t exactly what I had in mind for myself either. This quest has chosen me. But Father, I’ve gained so much. I’m more powerful than I was when I began this and all the forces for good are supporting and trying desperately to help me.”

Father looked intently at me for a moment.  I could see in his eyes that he wanted to ask me more or to give me advice.  But instead he changed the subject.  “And what about Damien, and Cain? Since Philepe returned to Paris he has heard nothing good about them there.”

For some reason I felt that I shouldn’t come to their defense, so I didn’t.

“Even if what we’ve heard is true, I can’t be worried about them. I have enough on my plate right now. How about your missions? Did you have any problems?”

“No, at least that was easily done. And, I was relieved to find the other artifacts were still safely hidden where I’d placed them over the centuries. Ricardo informed me that he was followed after he returned to Spain from his mission. His Watcher didn’t spot the hybrids until they got very close, too close. That’s when I decided the vampire guard needs to be retrained. This situation is something completely different than we’ve ever faced before.” He lifted and dropped his arms in frustration. “Ah, but that seems to be all I ever say to you anymore.”

“Is this why you are becoming so much more pro-active now with the knights?”

“It’s that, and watching how Arthur and the others seem to be so invigorated by having a mission again. By the way, Arthur spoke with me about you, Katrina,” he said pausing to watch my reaction.

“What does that mean?”

Father didn’t answer directly but gave me the ‘raised eyebrow’ look that said, “You
know
what that means.” Then he said, “I told him he was too old for you.”

“I don’t even know how to respond to that,” I said flustered at the thought that Arthur and my father had actually discussed this aspect of my life, “so let me change the subject. Mother is going to want to stay in New York for longer periods of time isn’t she?”

“I think you are probably right. We have so many assets in the East that I’ll need to be there often as well. This place will be a retreat for us. And a place of renewal.”

“I feel that way too. Now, is there anything else that you want to discuss with me?”

“I think that you need to speak with Julius. The warlocks and witches have just as much at stake as we do and we need to solicit their aid.”

“You’re right.” I paused before stating what was on my mind. “Please understand Father, as leader of the Five, I will do whatever I need to do. I would tell you not to worry, but I know that you will. However, I cannot let your concern for my wellbeing compromise my missions.”

“I’ll try. You are still my daughter first, and then the leader of the Five. I know you have to do things that you can’t always tell me about. I also know how much that weighs on you these days.”

“You’re talking about Damien again, aren’t you? All of us will have to make decisions that may be difficult for others to understand. Now if you will excuse me, I’m going to join Kate at Allwain’s.”

The air was fresh and clear. Pine scented air fill my nostrils. I was so glad that Father was back.

“Any
good
news to tell me?” I asked as I came through Allwain’s door.

Allwain turned, a frown furrowed into his brow.

“I’ll take that as a no.”

“We have no way of knowing if the treatment will work on the hybrids or not, but it should work on any new vampires that they make.”

“It’s the fact that these new beings are demon created,” Tao said.

CHAPTER TWO

C
at
hos, I’m going to take you up on your invitation, bring me to your location.”
Before I could take another breath, I was standing in Althar. I turned to see the Demon King; arms crossed, looking every bit as magnificent as I remembered him to be.

“Katrina, good to see you again,” he said as he walked towards me.

“As always, I need your help, and your opinion.”

“Relax, Katrina. Of course I will do whatever I can to help. First let’s have something to eat.”

He offered his arm and we walked the short distance into a private dining room.

“Where are we anyway?”

“Cin, my old palace.”

He pulled out a chair for me, and I sat. Once he was seated, food, wine and crimson appeared. He leaned back and smiled at me and unexpectedly I felt heat spread across my cheeks.

“You intrigue me like no other, Katrina. I wondered how you would react to the power that I gave you. For some, it would give them a feeling of superiority. But you seem to accept it as simply just another tool to further your cause.”

“I have no aspirations other than to protect those that I was called upon to protect. I consider the power that you gave me as a gift on loan from you, nothing more.”

He acknowledged me with a slight bow of his head and a smile.

“What is it like to be once again, the King of Althar, Cathos?”

“My consciousness was frozen in time. Although Santera thought that she was tormenting me, I don’t have much recollection of that time. Thanks to Cain things are back the way they were before she betrayed me. You see, I feel things happen as they are supposed to happen and because of all this, I am sitting here with you today.”

“New friends and allies are the best things that have come out of all of this, I agree.”

I found myself able to let down my guard and I relaxed then. It had been a long time since I had been able to do that. We ate and drank and Cathos told me about everything that Cain had been through, and exactly how he rid the world of Belial.

“You may stay here as long as you wish you know. My ability to manipulate time would allow me to  send you back to a point just after you came to me. I can make time stand still for us and I will, you have only to ask.”

The thought of being able to escape my reality without anyone being the wiser, was suddenly very appealing to me.

“I can see by the look on your face that you are entertaining the idea. That pleases me very much.”

“The problem with your plan Cathos, would be that
you
would be so distracting that I may
never
want to go back.”

“Is that such a bad thing, Katrina?” He said slowly, meeting my gaze.

I smiled and then rose and walked seductively around the table until I stood directly behind the handsome demon King. I put my hands on his shoulders and bent down so that my lips were close to his right ear, letting my hands explore his chest.

“Yes, very,
very
bad,” I whispered.

I then walked back and stood behind my chair. “Now, how about that advice?”

He sighed, “What is it; what do you need?”

“We had a potion that was a used as a weapon. Added to water,   it literally made the human population poisonous to any vampire who fed on them. I am trying to find out if it will work on these demon made vampires as well.”

“Hmmm, I don’t know. How are you proposing that we find out?”

“I don’t know enough about Belial’s kind, tell me if she is…”

Cathos laughed, “Like me? Belial wasn’t Jinn, but she did have similar power and that’s what created what she called her ‘children’. Would it help if you could meet or capture one?”

“That would probably save a lot of time. We could just go ahead and treat the water with the potion, but it’s a waste of time that we don’t have, if it won’t work on the hybrids. Besides, I was under the impression that they were all out of the underworld now.”

“I said they are no longer
going
to your world. But there are many still here.”

“I have no fight with those that are not in league with those in my world. Wait; is there any chance that any of them would join our cause?”

“I wouldn’t go that far. You
are
a very optimistic person aren’t you?”

“I try to be, but lately it has been very challenging. What else can you tell me? What kind of powers do these hybrids have?”

“They are similar to day vampires, where some, not all have gifts. They are very strong. As strong as newly made vampires. You have an advantage against them now, because you have Jinn power. You can also cover your scent, change form and move from place to place easily. You may learn other things if you could speak with one. Let me see what I can do.”

Cathos got up and walked out of the dining room leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Cathos said that I had an advantage, which meant Damien and Cain had one as well. I could only hope that any advantage they had would keep them safe.

It was quite some time before Cathos finally returned and he wasn’t alone. His companion’s scent was strong and not something I’d ever sensed before. My vampire gift of scent remembrance assured that now that I had experienced it, I would never forget it.

The stranger’s eyes locked with mine and I knew right then that somehow he was going to help me. How or why was yet to be seen.

“Katrina, this is Rafael.”

“So
you
are the one all this fuss is about,” he said without smiling.

“Pardon me?” I said looking to Cathos for some kind of clarification.

“The underworld was at peace until the Five were joined. If it hadn’t been for the Dark Prince’s infatuation with you…”

“You can blame me all you want if you tell me what I need to know. Are you going to do that or not? Because if not, I can’t waste time talking about things I can’t change.”

He looked surprised by my abruptness, but it was true, I did not have time or the patience to mince words.

“Let’s go to the lounge,” Cathos said. “We might as well be comfortable.”

That room was just down the hall. It was opulently furnished with its ornately carved pieces upholstered in luxurious and exotic leathers. Although very masculine in style, it was inviting somehow.

I chose a high backed chair and waited for Cathos and Rafael to sit and get comfortable. Cathos then raised his hand and received a goblet of wine.

“Would either of you like anything to drink?”

“Nothing for me, thank you.”

“Blood please,” Rafael requested and received.

“So tell me what you know about Belial’s hybrid ‘children’.”

“First of all they are called Belnovus, the rest of us are called Noctu, or simply night. I prefer to be called by my name,” he said sarcastically.

“So you only prefer darkness or can you function…”

“We can be in the light, but it diminishes our power. The Belnovus, or as I refer to them, ‘the blight’, don’t have those limitations, because Belial created them and then a Jinn changed their scent and gave them the ability to have full power in the light of day. That ability was later made permanent by a Drow master. Belnovus can be killed however, like any other vampire,
if
you can find them.”

“Do you know who is leading them, giving them direction?”